Store-service apparatus



(No Mo lel.)

H. H. HAYDEN.

STORE SERVICE APPA'EATUS. I No. 280,4{F9 Patented Jlhly 3, 1885.1

WITNESSES gg iwwzz Attorneys UNITED STATES IATENT FFICE HARRIS H. HAYDEN, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON CASH 'RAILXVAY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,469, dated July 3, 1883,

Appliqation filed h/Iay 9, 1883. (No mmleLi To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRIs H. HAYDEN, of New York, N. Y. have invented cert-ain lmprovements in Store- Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to the requirements of stores of moderate size, where the volume of business does not make it necessary to use any of the more elaborate forms of storeservice heretofore patented by me. Each carrier travels to the cashiers desk and returns to the salesman on a separate and independent way, and in most instances it will .be al lowed to remain upon the way when not in use. To avoid the necessity of employing two separate ways, I arrange the single way so that its inclination can be changed, 'in order that the carrier adapted thereto can be made to travel by gravity in either direction.

In carrying out my invention certain novel means are employed, as hereinafter described, and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a single line extending from a counter to the eashiers desk. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the mechanism of the traveler, lock, catch, &c., as seen from the side opposite to that in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan detail view of the traveler seen from below. Fig. 4 is a sketch of the device for preventing derailment of carriers. Fig. 5 is a plan of one form of end stop used. Fig. 6 is an alternate construction of the traveler. Fig. 7 illustrates other means for altering the inclination of the way.

The way D may be formed of any suitable material that admits of being extended across a store, such as wire, cord, &c. I do not limit myself to any specific material. The way is stretched from the cashiers or packers desk.

B (which may be somewhat elevated above the floor-level) to the station or counter A, one end being properly secured to the post G, or to a cross-bar attached thereto or otherwise at the cashiers or packer s desk, and the other end being fastened to a slide or traveler, F, which slides on the upright rod H, to alter the inclination of the way, so that the carrier 0 is propelled by gravity from end to end of the way. WVhen the carrier isnot in use it remains within easy reach of the attendant at either end, preferably of the salesmen at the point marked 1. An adjustable stop, M, on the rod H limits the downward movement of the traveler. The salesman places the goods and cash, or the cash only, in the carrier 0, which may be of any suitable form, similar in a general way to those described in my former patents, either with or without an extensible holder, and, taking hold of the cord L,whieh passes over the pulley a, he draws the slide or traveler F (to which the wire is fastened) up until a stoppin, e, thereon strikes against a projecting lip, f, ofa catch, 9, pivoted to the rod H, when the catch engages the bottom of the traveler F and holds it fast in its elevated position. At the same time a latch, b, which is pivoted at h to the carrier, strikes an arm, i, on the rod H, and is tilted so as to release the carrier, (which it has held up to this time by contact with a projection, 7a,) and the carrier at once travels by gravity down the way to the cashier, where it is arrested and held by the stop 0, Fig.

. 5, or by any suitable stop, until the cashier or packer is ready to return to it. This he does by simply pulling awire or cord, E, which is attachedto the catch 9, thus releasing the traveler F, which will at once drop to the stop M, carrying the way with it and changing the incline to that of the dotted line 70, and causing the carrier to return.- A spring, 8, tends to hold the catch 9 in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In carrying parcels or goods of considerable weightlfind it preferable not to have the wireway drawn beyond an easy tension, as the sag of the wire caused by the weight of the carrier below a straight line tends to check at the end of the line the rapid motion which the carrier acquires in passing down the first incline. By making stops M, and also a sliding piece, V, to which are fastened a pulley, a, and the catch adjustable on the rod H, I am able, after any line is ready for use, to so arrange the parts that a carrier will come to its placewith an easy motion even when carrying a heavy load and starting off with great velocity. Consequently the wear on the apparatus is greatly lessened. A buffer, 1, arranged to be struck by the carrier, also reduces the shock at the counter when the loaded carrier returns from the desk. A suitable device will also be placed at the end of the wire to take it up should it become too slack. To prevent derailment of the carrier where loose or detachable carriers are employed, I place upon the carrier-frame a semi-tube, m, which incloses the wire D and forms with the grooves of the wheels a perfect lock.

Instead of the single friction-roller P on the traveler F, I may use a pair of rollers to insure steadiness, or a sliding sleeve, loosely fitting the rod H, may be employed.

In Fig. 2, V represents an attachment for preventing the cord L from slipping off the pulley a.

\Vhere hea y articles are to be conveyed, and it is necessary to have the end supports very firm, I can arrange the rod H so as to extend from the top of the counter to the ceiling and secure both ends; but where this is not convenient the rod can be fastened to the shelving behind the salesman, or suspended from the ceiling by brackets or other devices suitably braced.

The carriers may be of any suitable construction. Iprefer, however, a carrier having a receiver consisting of aframe, S, of any suitable character, and a flexible or elastic holder, 1, supported in its position to constitute a pocket or receptacle for the goods, &c., to be carried. This construction reduces the weight of the carrier, and secures a durable receptacle adapted to receive and hold effectively divers articles of different shapes.

Although the carriers may be arranged permanently on the wires, they may be detached therefrom, in which case it is desirable to be able to lift them without necessarily using a stool or ladder to reach them. For this purpose I provide each carrier with a pendent handle, :0, extending below the receptacle, and serving as a means of lifting the carrier readily from its way. It also serves as a ready means of propelling the carrier by hand from below.

I do not limit myselfto the devices shown for carrying out my invention. For instance, the inclination of the waymay be varied by drawing it up or down by means of a cord or wire, as shown in Fig. 7 5 or a tilting rigid rod may be used in some cases, or other means may be employed. Means may also be employed for raising or lowering each end of the way.

The cars or carriers may be of different constructions.

I do not here claim, broadly, wires extending between the main desk and stations and supporting each a carrier, and reserve for subsequent applications for Letters Patent such patentable features as are not herein specifically claimed.

I claim 1. The combination, with a way extending between the desk and each station, of appliances, substantially as described, whereby the inclination of the way may be changed, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a way extending between the desk and station of a store, of appliances for raising and depressing the end or ends, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the way, a standard or support, a slide carried by said support and connected to the way, and appliances for raising and lowering the said slide to alter the i11- clinati on of the way, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the slide connected to one end of the way, of a catch for securing the slide, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the way, slide, catch for securing the slide, and connections where by the said catch may be operated from the opposite end of the way, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the way, of a device having one or more recesses to receive the wheels of the carrier, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the standard II, slide, catch, and way, of a stop arranged to lift the catch when the slide is raised, substantially as set forth.

8. The standard, slide, and way, in combination with the adjustable attachments, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the way, of a stop arranged to hold the carrier and to release the same when the inclination of the way is changed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

. HARRIS H. HAYDEN.

Vitnesses:

\VILLTAM B. DE LACY, \VM. TRUsLow. 

